1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an IC socket having a single contact capable of contacting an external contact point of an IC package, which single contact includes a pressure applying arm and a pressure receiving arm such that the external contact point is brought into contact, under pressure, with the pressure receiving arm by the pressing force of the pressure applying arm.
2. Related Art
In an IC socket discussed in Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei 3-24035, a contact includes a pair of pinchingly holding pieces raised in parallel relation from a basal portion thereof, each pinchingly holding piece being elastically displaced forwardly and backwardly through a spring specific to each pinchingly holding piece. This pinchingly holding piece pair pinchingly holds an upper and a lower surface of an external contact point of an IC package, thereby constituting an IC socket of a two-point contact structure. The front side opposing pinchingly holding piece is in position for storing an elastic force in an opposing direction and in abutment with a lower surface of the external contact point, while the rear side pinchingly holding piece is elastically displaced forwardly and backwardly by upward and downward movement of a contact opening/closing member (releasing member) such that when displaced forwardly, the rear side pinchingly holding piece is brought into contact, under pressure, with an upper surface of the IC external contact point, thereby forming the two-point contact structure together with the front side pinchingly holding piece.
However, the above conventional IC socket has such shortcomings that the level of the contact surface of the front side pinchingly holding piece with respect to a lower surface of the external contact point of the IC package is not constant, thereby making it unable to provide a stable contact relation with the external contact point, with a result that the external contact point will be deformed by a pressing pressure of the rear side pinchingly holding piece.
The present invention has been accomplished in view of the above problems inherent in the conventional IC packages.